Dry Hopping Questions

[LarsonLE]

***TITLE IS SUPPOSED TO SAY "COLD CRASHING QUESTIONS"***

So I have a Kolsch that has been fermenting for exactly 3 weeks now, and I would like to cold crash this beer in order to get clarity. Now for the questions:

1) Would it be fine to cold crash the beer in the primary fermenter, or is it advised to rack to secondary before cold crashing? Reason why I am asking is that I am out of fermenters.

Here's something else I could do: rack the kolsch to my bottling bucket, then place that in the refrigerator for a few days, then clean out the primary while it is cold crashing, then rack again into the cleaned out bucket. Then I would let it sit for a few more days then rack once again into the bottling bucket and bottle. Or would this be a high risk for oxidation?

2) I have heard of people slowly lowering the temps when they cold crash. I don't have the ability to do this, instead I would just throw it in the fridge. Is this okay?

3) How long do you guys typically cold crash for? Would 3-4 days be sufficient?

4) Lastly, is there going to be enough yeast floating around when I bottle so that my beer carbonates well?

 

[ShaggyDogBrewing]

but where did you dry hop? I have Kolsch Conditioning right now. I can't answer everything here but I can say that yes you can sill bottle carb after cold crashing, there will still be yeast suspended in beer but smaller particles fall out (atleast thats how I understand it)

For mine I kept in the primary for 2 weeks hot(64), then moved it to a "colder" closet , I dry hopped when I moved the carboy for 2 weeks and tossed in a keg to condition.

 

[LarsonLE]

I'm not dry hopping this beer. Or should I?

 

[ShaggyDogBrewing]

Ha ha, isn't the title here "Dry Hoping Questions" Honestly I just loosely followed the recipe in the Joy of HB3, in some versions he forgets to say where one of the hops addition is, i asked my LHBS and he recommend adding the left over tettnangers at that point just to use them, as i understand they are light aroma so it won't do much, just enhance flavor. I think at this point you can cold crash in the primary for a few days and be careful racking and bottle.

The reason I asked about where you dry hopped is it seems that popular opinion is to limit the amount of time to a few weeks

Kolsch is really more about the Kolsch yeast as I understand it, but I'm no expert

Cheers!

 

[Hammy71]

I'm not dry hopping this beer. Or should I?

I wouldn't dry hop a Kolsch.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

So I have a Kolsch that has been fermenting for exactly 3 weeks now, and I would like to cold crash this beer in order to get clarity. Now for the questions:

1) Would it be fine to cold crash the beer in the primary fermenter, or is it advised to rack to secondary before cold crashing? Reason why I am asking is that I am out of fermenters.

Here's something else I could do: rack the kolsch to my bottling bucket, then place that in the refrigerator for a few days, then clean out the primary while it is cold crashing, then rack again into the cleaned out bucket. Then I would let it sit for a few more days then rack once again into the bottling bucket and bottle. Or would this be a high risk for oxidation?

2) I have heard of people slowly lowering the temps when they cold crash. I don't have the ability to do this, instead I would just throw it in the fridge. Is this okay?

3) How long do you guys typically cold crash for? Would 3-4 days be sufficient?

4) Lastly, is there going to be enough yeast floating around when I bottle so that my beer carbonates well?

I'm guessing the thread title is incorrect. I wouldn't dry hop it and I'm assuming you didn't.

1. I think it's fine to cold crash in the primary or in a secondary. I think whatever works best for you is fine. If you need the fermentor and it's done fermenting it should be fine.

2. Crash cooling it should be fine rather than slowly lowering the temp.

3. 3-4 days should be fine.

4. I'm not sure why you are asking this. Most people cold crash to drop the yeast out as they are going to keg the beer. If you are bottling the beer you can do this without cold crashing. Once the beer has carbonated you put the bottles in the fridge for a few days and this cold crashes them individually.

 

[LarsonLE]

I'm guessing the thread title is incorrect. I wouldn't dry hop it and I'm assuming you didn't.

1. I think it's fine to cold crash in the primary or in a secondary. I think whatever works best for you is fine. If you need the fermentor and it's done fermenting it should be fine.

2. Crash cooling it should be fine rather than slowly lowering the temp.

3. 3-4 days should be fine.

4. I'm not sure why you are asking this. Most people cold crash to drop the yeast out as they are going to keg the beer. If you are bottling the beer you can do this without cold crashing. Once the beer has carbonated you put the bottles in the fridge for a few days and this cold crashes them individually.

I am so sorry about the thread title, it is suppose to say "Cold Crashing Questions".

And yes, I am bottling. I guess if I transfer to a secondary and let it sit for a week or so and then bottle, and then place those bottles in the fridge for a week would be fine? There will be yeast at the bottle of the bottle right, but still clear I guess? I have also heard that even though cold crashing drops the yeast, there is still plenty floating around, enough to carbonate the bottles if I were to cold crash and then bottle. Anyone have anything to say about this?

 

[Yooper]

I am so sorry about the thread title, it is suppose to say "Cold Crashing Questions".

And yes, I am bottling. I guess if I transfer to a secondary and let it sit for a week or so and then bottle, and then place those bottles in the fridge for a week would be fine? There will be yeast at the bottle of the bottle right, but still clear I guess? I have also heard that even though cold crashing drops the yeast, there is still plenty floating around, enough to carbonate the bottles if I were to cold crash and then bottle. Anyone have anything to say about this?

You don't want to stick the bottles in the fridge until the beer is carbed up.

but yes, you can certainly cold crash and then bottle. There will still be plenty of yeast in suspension to carb up your beer. I have even done it with lagers- 6 weeks at 34 degrees in a secondary, and still had plenty of yeast!